The Rapids executed a trade that sent defender Andrew Gutman to his hometown team, the Chicago Fire, in exchange for Venezuelan international Miguel Navarro and $450,000 in General Allocation Money, league sources confirmed.

Gutman, 27, arrived in Commerce City this past summer from Atlanta United and established himself as a rock-solid defender in a position of need. After the season, Colorado exercised his option but did not sign him to a new contract before the trade. The deal was first reported by Men in Red, a Chicago Fire blog, that Gutman will sign a new deal with the Fire through the 2026 season.

The Rapids continued the trend of staying young, with Navarro set to turn 25 in February. Navarro will not occupy an international roster spot because of a green card he received in March 2021. Colorado will take on his contract — a deal that runs through the end of the 2024 season with a one-year team option for 2025.

Since arriving in Chicago ahead of the 2020 season, the Venezuelan made 97 regular-season appearances and started 81 times with over 7,000 minutes played and eight assists, four of which came in 2023. Known for his speed going north-south, he could be a key cog in new head coach Chris Armas’ preferred style of play.

According to the MLS Players Association salary guide data, Navarro had a guaranteed salary of $299,004 last season. Gutman was guaranteed $381,250 in the final year of his previous deal.

Across his international career, Navarro has been called in for Colombia’s CONMEBOL FIFA World Cup qualifying roster in three straight windows and has eight appearances across all competitions.

With a busy week in front of them ahead of the MLS SuperDraft on Dec. 19 — Colorado has two of the first five picks — it’s expected the Rapids will remain aggressive in revamping the roster.

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The University of Denver junior midfielder was named second-team All-American by the United Soccer Coaches on Friday for his performance over the course of the 2023 season. Bassett is only the third Pioneer to earn the distinction and is the first since 2018, when former Rapids player Andre Shinyashiki got the honor.

Bassett stepped up in the attacking midfield role this season as he helped lead the Pioneers to the second round of the men’s NCAA Tournament for a third consecutive season. He scored a career-high eight goals and added seven assists to lead the team to a 12-3-5 record. Internally, the program was expected to be a national title contender, but injuries to three preseason watchlist players — Trevor Wright, Ben Smith and Ronan Wynne — played a key factor in not making a deep run.

Still, Bassett told The Post on Friday he was proud of the way he stepped up and led the side. Like Cole talked about this season at the podium, Sam was also determined to lead by example on the field.

“I think it’s really nice to start seeing that the work I’ve done over the past 15 years since I started playing soccer, it is starting to pay off. Also, it motivates me even more for next season because I know there’s more in me and I can prove I’m the best, and we can prove that our team is the best,” Bassett said.

For head coach Jamie Franks, who’s seen Bassett in action since he was 15 years old, the work he put in to get into position to be an elite college player speaks volumes about his development and where he can go.

“What I’m proud of is is where he was at 15 or 16 and he wasn’t happy with his development,” Franks told The Post. “So he had to work so hard on his diet, in the gym, on his shooting, on his passing. He’s just outworked everybody and put in the work every day. For somebody that’s that good of a person, it means everything to us. It sets an example. You wanna be an all-American, this is what it looks like.”

Bassett is “pretty positive” he’ll be back at DU next season instead of entering his name into the MLS SuperDraft because he believes the program is in its strongest spot since 2016, when the Pios reached the College Cup.

“I really don’t think we’re finished here. You only have so much time to finish what you started, and we’re aiming for a national title next season,” Bassett said.

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In his mind, Price knows he can still compete for trophies in the upper echelons of professional soccer. He also knows his next hunt won’t be with the Colorado Rapids while wearing the captain’s armband, but rather back in England.

Price, now a free agent after six seasons in Colorado, spoke to The Denver Post and other local outlets earlier this week for a final “exit interview.” He detailed a contentious end to his time as a Burgundy Boy, how veterans influenced his leadership and where his ambitions are at as he faces a new chapter in his career.

One thing is abundantly clear about “Pricey”: He is gearing up for the chase once again.

“The best feeling for me, it is as simple as standing in that corridor waiting to walk out in front of the fans at home, leading the boys out, walking down those steps,” said Price, who is nearing the end of his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon suffered in March. “That’s a feeling that I’ve missed so much this season, not just playing football, but that feeling. You walk through the door, you see the fans, you line up against the opposition team and you’re just ready to go.

“It might sound silly, but it’s that simple for me.”

The departure

Contract negotiations often produce dueling narratives, and Price pushed back on club president Pádraig Smith’s explanation that family considerations were at the heart of Price’s departure from Colorado.

Price, soon to be 31, explained the negotiations at length. There were two rounds. The first offer was presented in the summer and a last-ditch one came near the end of the season. Price rejected both.

Last year, according to MLS Players Association data, he earned $825,000. After two years of setbacks, the figure Colorado presented at the negotiating table was significantly less. Price believed English sides could match what Colorado offered.

While it’s true a second child will soon join the Price family, it wasn’t his primary reason for leaving. In fact, he claimed that he wanted to stay.

“I was offered a contract, another year to stay on but I ultimately turned it down because I felt like the offer was quite disrespectful from what I’d given, six years at the club. I felt like it was a little bit of a kick in the (groin), to be honest,” Price said. “It wasn’t like I decided I wanted to go home and that was it. I wanted to stay.

“… I was willing to take a pay cut, just not the amount (Colorado) offered. It’s a shame really with how it ended, and I’m gutted with the fact that I’ll never get to play again in front of the fans.”

Veterans impact leadership

Drew Moor, Steven Beitashour and Tim Howard. Without them, Price said his time in Colorado could’ve turned out significantly different. All three played into their mid-to-late 30s, were reliable in matches and “wouldn’t let you down.”

All three routinely gave advice to budding prospects, and Price always respected that. Seeing Howard in action when he first arrived in Colorado provided motivation.

“People like Drew and Beita you don’t get in football anymore. They’re the old-school type, and both unbelievable guys who have so much love for the game,” he said. “… I thought (Tim Howard) was a really good leader and given the young players we had (in 2018), he was great. Especially for me, I loved him and he was almost like me dad the way he looked after me and I can never thank him enough for that because he really helped me settle in.”

The legacy and what’s next

With a piercing stare and unparalleled beard, the sight of Price was enough to unnerve defenders.

For the last half-decade, he cemented himself as one of the best in MLS history to ever stand over a mark on dead-ball set-pieces. He secured 34 assists, the second-most in Rapids history, across 123 regular-season games and was critical to the team’s run to the top of the Western Conference in 2021.

As for what’s next, he’s looking to “stay local” and sign a short-term deal somewhere around his hometown of Shrewsbury starting in January. He still envisions playing in the Championship or the upper echelon of League One, the second and third tier of the English soccer pyramid.

Back home, not only will he look to be a captain once again with the goal of playing into his mid-30s, but reach the ultimate highs that narrowly evaded him in Colorado. The wheels are churning again.

“I hadn’t achieved everything I wanted to in terms of winning trophies with Colorado and winning MLS Cup. I’ve got a lot of unfinished business because of that,” he said. “It’s mad to think six years, but it feels like six months to be honest. It was that much fun. An amazing six years.”

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Former Colorado Rapids goalkeeper Tim Howard, who spent three and a half seasons with the club from 2016 to ’19 and made 100 appearances, was named to the National Soccer Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024 on Saturday.

Howard, who earned 46 of 48 first-place ballots (95.8%) will be formally inducted to the NSHOF in Frisco, Texas, in May. It was Howard’s first year on the ballot since retiring in 2020. To meet eligibility requirements, those considered for the “Players” ballot must be retired for at least three seasons. Howard will join Marcelo Balboa (1995-2001) and Peter Vermes (1997-99) as the only Rapids players who have been enshrined.

Widely viewed as the greatest goalkeeper in American history and in North America, he earned the call after more than two decades between the posts. He appeared for the United States men’s national team 121 times, reaching two FIFA World Cups. During the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, he recorded the single-most saves in a World Cup match, 16 against Belgium in the Round of 16. It was also where he was given his nickname. He spent 10 seasons in MLS, including five with the New York MetroStars (now New York Red Bulls) from 1998 to 2003, and 13 seasons in the English Premier League with Manchester United (2003-07) and Everton (2007-16).

In March 2016, it was announced he would join the Rapids that summer after a remarkable career with Everton (329 appearances) at the end of that season. When he arrived in Commerce City, he was instantly elevated to the most significant signing in Colorado history and in his first season led the Rapids to a Western Conference Final appearance thanks to his penalty kick heroics. Howard remained Colorado’s No. 1 until he announced his retirement at the end of the 2019 season. The club named him to its All-Time Best XI in 2020.

On Saturday, the Hall of Fame sent a post out about the news, followed by NBC telling the New Jersey native live on “Premier League Live,” where he has been an on-air analyst since the 2020 season.

The moment @TimHowardGK found out he’s headed to the Hall of Fame

Thanks for breaking the news, @NBCSportsSoccer! pic.twitter.com/tUgeKdS3FT

— National Soccer HOF (@soccerhof) December 2, 2023

A typical Hall of Fame class consists of two or three “Players”, one or two “Veterans” and a “Builder,” for those who elevated soccer outside of the pitch. Two former Rapids players are also Class of 2024 finalists for the “Players” category: Kyle Beckerman (2002-2007) and Jermaine Jones (2016), while new Rapids head coach Chris Armas is a finalist under the “Veterans” category.

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At least that’s how Bronx-born, Long Island native Chris Armas said he wants his new team to play in Commerce City.

The Rapids formally introduced Armas as their 10th permanent head coach in club history on Thursday afternoon at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The former MLS star, who spent 12 seasons playing for the L.A. Galaxy and Chicago Fire before transitioning into coaching, addressed several topics while speaking with media members — in addition to his preferred style of play.

Here’s what Armas and club president Pádraig Smith had to say:

Leaning on tough times

What’s the story: Armas’ coaching track record has been a mixed bag, as he led the New York Red Bulls to an Eastern Conference final in his first year in charge, but eventually was fired in September 2020. He lasted 11 games in charge of Toronto FC in 2021 before getting the boot during a COVID-filled season in which Canadian teams could not play in their home market or go home at all for most of the season. Assistant roles at English Premier League giants Manchester United (six months) and Leeds United (less than two months) were also short-lived.

Considering where Colorado is — two years removed from a first-place finish in the Western Conference, but coming off of its worst season in franchise history filled with off-field problems and a fan protest that lasted from September through the season finale — Armas will use the tough times to find good ones in Commerce City.

What Armas said: “The key thing with all of my stops on my football journey is that I’ve learned along the way, and that I’m more ready now than I’ve ever been. … I can take something from every experience and promise the fanbase: Look, I know how to coach. Well, my superpower? Listen, I know football, of course, I’m learning all the time, but I know people and I know competition. Just give us some time, I understand their frustration, and I think we’re going to make them proud.”

Analysis: If Armas is to be the one to dig Colorado out of its current hole, he’ll be the first to grab a shovel and start finding a route. Whether learning under transition-game coaching legends in New York and Germany, keeping a team together in Toronto in a tough situation, or later working with world-class players in the world’s most cutthroat league, one thing is clear: Armas is not messing about.

The game (model) is afoot

What’s the story: The club president has increasingly stressed a club identity to use altitude and transition soccer to wear teams down and win tough games. Armas’ plan matches Smith’s.

What Smith said: “I don’t think there’s a better proponent of transition football than Chris, domestically. We understood when we brought him in that he not only believed in that, but knew exactly how to execute that, get players to buy into that, knew how to get players to perform that day-in, day-out.”

Analysis: Armas said he has always seen soccer one way: “To make it hard to play against.” As a product of the notorious Red Bulls high-press system, he’ll make sure his tactical philosophy is understood by all. But after scoring an abysmal 26 goals in 2023, can it be an overnight switch? With Smith and Armas on the same page, there’s a chance.

Drive toward youth

What’s the story: Colorado has 14 senior players on its roster 24 or younger, suited for Armas’ style of play, plus a talented Rapids 2 squad that also played run-and-gun soccer. With key veterans leaving, the expectation Smith set Thursday is that Armas can transform a young and hungry squad with a chip on its shoulder from 28th in MLS to a playoff team — in the span of one season. Armas highlighted the likes of Connor Ronan, Cole Bassett, Rafael Navarro and Moïse Bombito as players he’s eager to coach.

Armas said: “We’re a club that’s going to push the young players. The young players don’t let you down, you’ve just gotta give them a chance … Philosophically, we’re going to push young guys that they can play with a fearless nature.”

Analysis: It’s a new era in Commerce City, and the Rapids are looking to reinvent themselves from a gritty club with veterans, to a bold and daring one where young players can thrive. It’s now Armas’ job to deliver that on expectation.

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Colorado announced it had exercised extending contract options on three players and declined seven. Two players’ contracts expired, while another player’s loan ended. The Rapids also said they remain in contract discussions with three of the players whose deals were declined.

Those that had their options renewed included defender Andrew Gutman, forward Calvin Harris and midfielder Ralph Priso. All were on the final year of guaranteed contracts with their prior teams before arriving in Colorado over the course of the last 18 months. Harris was on a three-year Generation Adidas deal when he was selected by FC Cincinnati in the MLS 2021 SuperDraft. Priso was on a Homegrown Player contract from Toronto FC. Gutman signed with Atlanta United in 2021 on a three-year deal with a team option for 2024 before coming to Colorado this past summer.

Seven players had their options declined, including: goalkeepers Abraham Rodriguez and William Yarbrough; defenders Sebastian Anderson, Steven Beitashour and Gustavo Vallecilla; and midfielders Oliver Larraz and Jack Price. The team said it is negotiating with Homegrown Players Anderson, Larraz and Yarbrough.

Beitashour, 36, spent four seasons in Colorado and was an integral locker room presence. The 13-year MLS veteran will become a free agent, but fans will remember his work ethic and commitment, as well as a humble attitude off the pitch.

Colorado decided not to offer new contracts to striker Diego Rubio and late-season signing Luis Díaz. Midfielder Danny Leyva’s loan expiration means he will return to his parent club, Seattle Sounders.

Also of note, defender Danny Wilson, who was in the final year of a two-year guaranteed contract extension, had a one-year team option for 2024 kick in automatically due to performance metrics he hit over the last two seasons.

As it stands, Colorado has 24 players on its roster for 2024, but the MLS offseason is just getting started. It’s expected the Rapids will be active in the winter market after a dismal 2023 season.

New head coach Chris Armas will have his introductory press conference at 11 a.m. Thursday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

A full list of who’s under contract for 2024 can be found here.

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The announcement confirms what club sources told The Denver Post earlier this week. Since the principle agreement, final contract details were ironed out over the last 48 hours.

Armas, 51, has a strong résumé as a player and coach. He most recently was an interim co-head coach at Leeds United in February and also spent time as an assistant at Manchester United.

“I’m incredibly proud and excited to take the role as the head coach of the Colorado Rapids,” Armas said in a club statement. ” … I’m as hungry as ever to deliver this success to our fans and our club. I’ve always been eager to implement my style of play at a club that plays and trains at altitude. This advantage, along with high energy, attacking and entertaining football, can help our team and fans return to home field dominance.”

Club sources said Colorado interviewed a total of 11 domestic and international candidates, and five finalists met with team executives over a two-day span. KSE vice chairman Josh Kroenke was kept informed throughout the search, sources say, from receiving detailed analysis on every coach, to having in-depth conversations with key club figures.

For Rapids club president Pádraig Smith, Armas stood out above a crowded field for a number of reasons.

“We were looking for three things: Leadership, game models or the tactical structure, as well as player development. As we went through the process, Chris continued to tick all of the boxes,” Smith told The Post. “When we came together, we had a unanimous choice. Chris has got not only the personal qualities, but he’s got the experience to back that up.

“It’s impossible when you meet him not to be blown away by his energy and positivity,” Smith continued. “He comes with an energy every day that’s infectious and I felt that’s something the locker room needs. He holds people, himself accountable and is going to create a demanding culture. … We want to return to being dominant in transition and at altitude. Chris has worked with elite pressing coaches and has his own ideas he’s ready to implement. We need to continue developing quality, young players who can provide on-field success with (Armas’) style of play.”

In a 13-year playing career, Armas won five trophies including four U.S. Open Cups and an MLS Cup, all of which were with the Chicago Fire. He also made 66 appearances for the United States Men’s National Team.

Beginning in 2015, he was at the New York Red Bulls, first as an assistant and then as head coach from 2018-2020, where he won a Supporters Shield in his first season. In 2021, he took over Toronto FC for 11 games before being dismissed after a period of poor results (1-8-2), including a 7-1 loss in his final game in charge. Armas continued to hone in his coaching skills as an assistant in the English Premier League at Manchester United from late 2021 until May 2022, and earlier this year at Leeds United.

The hire is viewed by many within the Dick’s Sporting Goods Park campus as a new chapter for Armas and the front office to re-energize a frustrated fanbase.

With 14 first-team players under 23, a Rapids 2 team fresh off of a deep postseason run and a strong academy, Armas will have his work cut out for him. But the roots for Colorado’s return to MLS prominence have been planted.

“It’s easy to point to situations like Toronto or the end of Red Bulls saying that (time period) covers everything, but it obviously doesn’t,” Smith said. “Those are very different situations. Here, he’s coming into a team that’s been built for this type of transition offense. … His experience with Leeds and Manchester United, I have no doubt he’ll bring what he learned and bring it into this situation.”

Armas will look to stabilize a club that had its worst season in franchise history in 2023, going 5-17-12 and recording 0.79 points per game. The Rapids parted ways with longtime head coach Robin Fraser in September and eventually finished bottom of the Western Conference with the second-worst record in Major League Soccer.

Due to the upcoming holiday season, the club will formally introduce Armas as head coach on Nov. 30.

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Armas, 51, was most recently an assistant and co-interim head coach at a pair of famed English Premier League clubs: Leeds United earlier this year, and as an assistant coach at Manchester United during the 2021-2022 season.

The Long Island native has prior head coaching experience in Major League Soccer, first with the New York Red Bulls from 2018-2020, where he compiled a 33-27-11 record and led them to a Supporters Shield in his first season, and then with Toronto FC in 2021, where he lasted 11 games.

Armas’ pro playing career spanned 13 seasons, 10 of which were with the Chicago Fire, where he played a crucial part behind winning four U.S. Open Cup trophies and the 1998 MLS Cup. At the international level, he made 66 appearances for the U.S. Men’s National Team and won two CONCACAF Gold Cups.

Colorado had its worst season in club history in 2023. In September, the club parted ways with Robin Fraser and the Rapids eventually limped to a 5-17-12 finish. It was the second-worst record in the league, two seasons after Colorado finished atop the MLS Western Conference standings.

Due to the upcoming holiday week, the club is expected to formally introduce Armas at the end of the month.

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The Colorado Rapids homegrown and Littleton native was called up to the United States men’s Olympic roster Monday for a pair of friendlies later this month as the squad continues to prepare for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

The U.S. will play Iraq (Nov. 18, 9 a.m.) and Morocco (Nov. 21, 7 a.m.) in San Pedro del Pinatar, Spain. The friendlies are part of a training camp for the United States men’s team, which had previously failed to qualify for the tournament for three straight Olympiads. The last time it qualified was the Beijing Games in 2008. The U.S. had its initial Olympic camp during the October international window in Phoenix last month, with wins against Japan and Mexico.

Viewed as a launchpad for younger players across the globe, men’s soccer at the Olympic Games has an age restriction. Countries are required to field primarily players 23 and under, with a limit of three players over age 23 allowed.

Bassett, 22, caught fire late in the season for Colorado as he set a new career high in goals (6) and a new club record for most minutes played by a homegrown player at 5,392 regular-season minutes across his career. His rock-solid play under interim head coach Chris Little in the final eight games helped earn his first national team call-up since December 2021, when he made his national team debut and scored a game-winning goal against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Despite a disappointing season for Colorado in which the team finished bottom of the Western Conference, Bassett regularly spoke of the loftier ambitions on his mind: play well enough to get back on U.S. Soccer’s radar by any means possible.

“For myself, I’m trying to push into whatever U.S. camps it is throughout the end of the year. For me, I want to get back in the senior team and the Olympics are coming up as well next year. So, to try to get into the Summer Olympics,” Bassett said last month. “I mean, you watch it as a kid every single year, even though soccer wasn’t the main thing that you’re watching here in America, but if you had a chance to represent your country at the Olympics, that would be something special and that’s my age group.

“I think I could help lead this team, so if I have a chance to get in the camps, that’s what I’m playing for at the end of this year, even though we don’t have playoffs.”

Beaudry starts in U-17 World Cup

Castle Pines native Adam Beaudry got his first taste of the World Cup experience Sunday when he started in goal for the U.S. at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Indonesia — a 3-1 win over South Korea in its opening match. Beaudry played this season for Colorado Rapids 2 and was a finalist for MLS NEXT Pro goalkeeper of the year.

Also making up the other goalkeeper spot on the World Cup roster is Zackory Campagnolo, another prominent player in the Rapids Academy. The 16-year-old Florida native joined the club in August from Orlando City and currently plays on Colorado’s under-17 academy team. All-time, the pair are the third and fourth Rapids Academy players to be on a U-17 World Cup roster respectively, as Homegrowns Sebastian Anderson (2019) and Dillon Serna (2011) also played in the tournament.

The U.S. has two more group stage games in Jakarta, Indonesia, first against Burkina Faso (Wednesday) and then France (Nov. 18) to determine whether they will reach the Round of 16.

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On Thursday, The Athletic’s Tom Bogert and Paul Tenorio reported that former Toronto FC and New York Red Bulls head coach Chris Armas is among the finalists. Then Friday morning, ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle added that Charlotte FC assistant Pa-Modou Kah is also a finalist, as is interim head coach Chris Little. A fourth candidate’s identity is not known at this stage.

The Rapids are said to be in the final stages of the search with a decision expected “imminently.”

Here’s a breakdown of the presumed finalists, which The Post was unable to independently verify. In a statement, a club spokesman told The Post “We’re going to respectfully decline to confirm or deny any rumors about specific candidates out of respect for our pool of candidates.”

Chris Armas, 51

Armas is back stateside after spending two seasons coaching English Premier League sides. First he was an assistant under interim head coach Ralf Rangnick at Manchester United from December until May 2022. Earlier this year, he was briefly reunited with Jesse Marsch as an assistant at Leeds United. After Marsch’s dismissal in February, he remained at the club for a short while later.

The former Chicago Fire and USMNT player’s longest coaching stint came with New York Red Bulls in 2018 after taking over for Marsch, as he helped lead the team to a Supporters’ Shield, but ultimately lost in the Eastern Conference Final. He then was named head coach of Toronto FC in January 2021, but last only 11 games in charge before getting fired.

Chris Little, 45

If there were a “players’ vote,” Chris Little would win it by a healthy margin. The Edinburgh, Scotland, native has made huge strides in his interim role, getting back to basics after Robin Frasier’s “parting ways” with the team in September. He helped Colorado avoid the dreaded Wooden Spoon for the team with the worst record, picking up two wins and two draws along the way.

“I love Chris. Ever since he’s got here, he’s helped me tremendously, and as an assistant, was going through video from the start looking for ways to get me better. He was doing goal-setting with me and wanted to help maximize my potential,” Littleton native Cole Bassett said in the final game of the season. “He’s deserved this opportunity as interim, and … if he gets the job I think we’d all be very happy. And even if he doesn’t, either way, the guy needs to be here next year.”

Little comes from a development background. He spent time with the Seattle Sounders academy starting in 2017, and in addition to being the director of coaching for the academy, eventually was the Tacoma Defiance head coach.

Pa-Modou Kah, 43

The intrigue with Kah is definitely there. He has been a consistent winner, has played just about everywhere, and he connects with the players. The Gambian-born Charlotte FC coach speaks seven languages.

Kah’s soccer career took him to seven countries, but he also played for the Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps in MLS from 2013 to 2017. He also made 10 appearances for the Norwegian national team.

His coaching career has been based in North America: He was an assistant with the Vancouver Whitecaps and FC Cincinnati. His first head coach role came with Pacific FC of the Canadian Premier League, where he garnered recognition for a high-octane press and routinely played young players, no matter the stage. He then coached North Texas SC for the 2022 MLS NEXT Pro season before arriving at Charlotte ahead of this year.

Two other names were linked to the Rapids job: former Mexican international Efraín Juárez, and as previously reported, Arsenal FC academy coach Jack Wilshere.

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